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Bradford on Avon fundraiser hasn't stopped dancing yet

A dancing Bradford on Avon fundraiser who was in the middle of boogieing from John O’Groats to Land’s End when he was knocked down by a car last week is set to restart his unusual challenge today.

Former St Laurence School pupil Ben Hammond, 34, suffered concussion and needed stitches for a head injury when he and one of his support cyclists were involved in a collision with a car in Polsham, near Wells, in Somerset, last Wednesday evening.

Mr Hammond, who is raising £50,000 for charities supporting disadvantaged people in Burma through his Dance Britain for Burma fundraiser, had his stitches removed yesterday and is set to continue dancing this morning.

Mr Hammond, who has been recovering at his family home in Bradford on Avon, said: “We are starting up again tomorrow as we had to wait for my stitches to come out. Now that the good old NHS have done that we can now start again and I’m very excited to be continuing.

“I’m going to be in the Glastonbury area but we are not going to publicise exactly where for now as I want to slowly get back up to speed. I’m really looking forward to starting and I’m more determined than ever to reach Land’s End.”

Mr Hammond, who was treated at Yeovil Hospital until he was released last Friday, had danced through his hometown Bradford on Avon just hours before he was knocked over.

Avon and Somerset Police arrested Alanna Rugg, 25, from Wookey, in connection with the incident, who has been charged with drinking and driving, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident.

She has been bailed to appear at South Somerset Magistrates' Court on October 19.

Mr Hammond started his challenge, raising funds to be split between Amnesty International, Burma Campaign UK, Partners Relief and Development, Learn Burma and Prospect Burma, on August 13 and had originally aimed to finish on October 13.

The unique fundraiser was inspired from Mr Hammond's time teaching in a refugee camp on the Thailand/Burma border.

For more information about his fundraising, or to donate, visit www.dancebritain.com.